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Seafood Pasta Recipes:Rotini with Salmon and Shrimp

Here's another of my favorite seafood pasta recipes. It couldn't be faster or easier. It uses just a few ingredients to make a dish that is fancy enough to serve to special guests.

Although this is a quick meal, I can't honestly call it a healthy one, with all that whipping cream. Save this one for special occasions!

Check that you have these staples at home

in the cupboard

rotini

canned salmon

canned baby shrimp

in the fridge or freezer

whipping cream

Parmesan cheese

Get out your equipment

Essential

a pasta pot or large saucepan

another saucepan

a can opener

a pasta strainer

Nice to have but not necessary

a rotary cheese grater (if not, use a regular grater)

The recipe

2 cups/500 ml rotini

1 1/2 cups/375 mL whipping cream

1 can (7 oz/220 g) salmon, drained

1 can (7 oz/220 g) baby shrimp

1/4 cup/60 mL grated Parmesan cheese

Cook the rotini according to package directions.

Meanwhile, put the whipping cream in a saucepan and bring it to a boil.Boil it for 3 minutes, stirring frequently.

Add the salmon, shrimp and Parmesan to the saucepan.Heat through.

Drain the cooked rotini.Add it to the saucepan.Stir gently to mix.

Substitutions

Use fresh salmon instead of canned. You'll need about 1 cup/250 mL.

Use fresh or frozen shrimp instead of canned.

Use any variety of chunky pasta in place of the rotini. Fusilli or macaroni would work well.

Ideas for making this recipe your own

Try reducing the fat content of this recipe by using a lighter cream - or by substituting plain yogurt for part of the cream. Please let me know how it turns out!

Tips

If you are using large shrimp, use kitchen shears to cut them into small, baby-shrimp-sized pieces.

I prefer using a block of Parmesan cheese and grating it as I need it. The flavor is great! You could also use pre-grated Parmesan from the deli. I don't recommend using the "grated cheese product" that you'll find on the grocery store shelf. It is full of artificial ingredients - and its taste is nothing like the real thing.